Kayla Mueller Parents ‘Still Hopeful’

The family of Kayla Mueller, the 26-year-old American held hostage by ISIS, revealed in a statement on Friday that they had communicated with the terrorists before they claimed Mueller was killed in a Jordanian air strike. There has been no physical or photographic evidence of Mueller’s death, however. “This leaves us concerned, yet, we are still hopeful that Kayla is alive,” Carl and Marsha Mueller said in a statement. They also addressed their daughter’s captors directly: “Kayla’s mother and I have been doing everything we can to get her released safely. At this time we ask you, who are holding Kayla, to contact us privately,” they said.